Wind-chest for mechanical piano-players



.I. J! M. FRICOTEL AND I. J. HERRBURGER.

WIND .CHEST FOR MECHANICAL PIANO PLAYERS.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-3.1920.

that connect the two flanged edges together with a joint of skin or blotting paper. It is pierced with an aperture 11 above the valve. The other parts are those that are usually found in this kind of apparatus, namely: a box 12 which is provided with an air pipe 13 and is fixed permanently upon the lower face of the vacuum chamber 1 beneath an aperture closed by a tight diaphragm 14 supporting a disk 15 connected to the valve 9 by a stem 16, and a bellows 17 fixed to the lower part 3 of the valve chamber and communicating with it through an aperture 18, and carrying the lever 19 that controls the striking of the corresponding note of the piano or other instrument.

In the modification of the heading joint illustrated in Fig. 4, the valve box 20 is pierced with an aperture 21 of the same diameter as the aperture in the valve chamber 3 and the vacuum chamber 1. A flat eyelct provided with a cylindrical edge 23 is fixed by beading by being folded back inwardly at 24 so as to fix the three parts together.

In the modification of the beading joint shown in Fig. 5, the lower part of the chamber 3 has a cylindrical edge 25 which is beaded upon the vacuum chamber 1 by being bent back at 26.

. It will be seen that in this improved wind chest the vacuum chamber 1 is absolutely tight because it comprises only one tight beading connecting it to the valve chamber. The joint of the box 12 whose opening is closed by the tight diaphragm 9 can readily be made tight and remain tight because there is no need to dismount it. The joint between the two halves 3 and 10 of the valve chamber is made by means of screws in such a manner as to allow of easy inspection and replacing of the valves 9. Only a slight inconvenience can be caused by it not being perfectly tight, because this valve chamber communicates with the vacuum chamber only during the very short periods of the lifting of the valve 9.

What we claim is 1. A wind chest for a mechanical apparatus for playing the piano and like instruments, comprising metal vacuum chambers and valve chambers fixed on each vacuum chamber by a tight beaded joint forminga valve seat, and above each beaded joint a valve box formed with inwardly projecting vertical flutes, pierced with holes at its base; each valve chamber which constitutes at the same time a suction duet, being made of two superposed flanged parts of identically similar shape connected together by screws.

2. A wind chest for a mechanical apparatus for playing the piano and like instruments, comprising metal vacuum chambers and valve chambers fixed on each vacuum chamber by a tight beaded joint forming a valve seat, and above each beaded joint a valve box formed with inwardly projecting vertical flutes, pierced with holes at its base and formed with a lower flange or edge serving to form the beaded joint; each valve chamber which constitutes at the same time asuction duct, being made of two superposed flanged parts of identically similar shape connected together by screws.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JOSEPH JULES MAURICE FRlCOTEL. JEAN JOSEPH HFRRBURGER. 

